Soon
by Flybie99
Summary: November, 1961. The Berlin Wall separates East Berlin from West - but what if two brothers would stop at nothing to reunite? Prussia & Germany: Hetalia oneshot; no yaoi. Warning: character death.


I will be with him soon.  
The wall is cold and grey and defaced with graffiti: a towering mass of concrete and tangled wire. And then there are the bodies.  
Many of them, young and old - twisted, mutilated, blood mingling with the cold rain and the mud. Sightless eyes; mouths open in silent screams that will never be heard; curled, groping hands stretching desperately for something, anything, that will provide a lifeline.  
I will be with him soon.  
The rain spatters my hair and my face. I look up at the sky; at the bloated black cloud that is rolling in from the South.  
Where is he?  
Where is mein Bruder?  
I drag my gaze from the sky, letting it fall again on the wall.  
A small, dark shape is soaring over the distant buildings.  
I stand up and watch as the dark shape grows larger and larger; the silhouette becoming clearer with every passing second.  
A balloon, made of stitched fabric. Ropes made from twisted string. A silver-haired, blue-uniformed man, strapped into a harness attached to the ropes.  
He is flying.  
I start to move forwards, arms open wide to embrace him, letting a smile break across my face for the first time in months.  
And then -  
And then -  
A round of gunfire splits the rain-lashed air like a knife, and suddenly mein Bruder is falling, dropping like a stone in a sock, his body twisting as he plummets to earth. I am vaguely aware that I am running, my feet slipping and sliding in the wet mud, feeling the rain soak through my uniform. Someone is shouting, screaming, their voice high and panic-stricken.  
It is a while before I realise that it is me.  
Mein Bruder's body hits the ground with a sickening thud, and a fist closes around my heart. I force my feet to move faster, faster, faster, despite the mud and the rain and -  
My foot slips and suddenly the ground is rushing up to meet me. My head smacks into the cold earth and bright stars burst before my eyes, dazzling me.  
I lie there for several second before I remember.  
Mein Bruder.  
I get to my feet, forcing back the dizziness, and look around.  
I have fallen in a ditch.  
A ditch, in No-Man's land.  
Something skitters down the slope beside me and I jump, reaching automatically for my rifle - but of course it isn't there.  
A stone.  
A stone, rolling down the slope.  
Not a grenade.  
I shake myself mentally.  
This isn't the battlefield. This isn't No-Man's land.  
This isn't war.  
I stand and begin to climb up the side of the ditch, my fingers struggling to find purchase in the slippery mud. Rocks cut into my hands but I don't stop; don't pause.  
I must find him.  
I must find mein Bruder.  
I reach the top of the slope and look immediately to the guard towers, my heart thumping painfully fast. Both guards are focused on the East side of the wall, undoubtedly looking for more attempting to get over the top.  
Now is my chance.  
I throw myself out of the ditch and sprint for the distant shape of mein Bruder, lying crumpled by the base of the wall. Silent. Unmoving.  
The rain is making the ground wet and slippery, and several times I stumble.  
Halfway there.  
The guards are still occupied with the East side. I can hear gunshots and angry yells; see stones bouncing off the guard towers from below.  
I make a last, desperate attempt to reach mein Bruder and throw myself against the wall. My shoulder slams into the concrete and all the breath leaves my lungs, but I ignore that: my ears are straining for the shouts; the gunfire - any sign that I have been seen.  
Nothing.  
I am safe.  
A choked cough issues from behind me, and I remember.  
Mein Bruder's uniform is splattered with mud and blood; his face slick with crimson liquid. The normally silver hair is stained pink and his face is grey and drawn with pain.  
'Hey there...Vest,' he manages to gasp. 'Looks like...I messed up...a little...'  
'Don't talk,' I say and press both hands over the bullet wound in his chest. His eyes widen and he grits his teeth as blood seeps through my fingers.  
'I can't...not talk,' he coughs. 'I am...ze awesome...Prussia...am I not? Kesesese...' His laugh is cut off with a hacking cough that shakes his whole frame. When he takes his hand away, it is dotted with droplets of blood.  
'I'm going to get you out of here. We're going to escape,' I say, pressing down harder on the wound.  
Mein Bruder laughs again and I hear his lungs rattle. 'I'm not...getting out...of this one...little...Bruder...Not...this time.'  
'Don't say that!' I can hear the panic and fear in my voice, and I hate it. 'We're both getting out of this!'  
He laughs again for a second time, blood flecking his lips. 'You do...realise...that I'm...saying my last words...little Bruder?'  
I feel my heart clench, and mein Bruder smiles and his scarlet eyes flicker shut.  
'Bruder!' I cry, snatching up his bloodstained hand. 'Bruder, open your eyes!'  
He laughs again, but it is much weaker this time. His eyes open once more and his red gaze meets my own.  
'Don't...be too...sad...without me...Bruder...' he gasps, the pain evident on his white face. 'I know...I'm...awesome...but I'd...rest easier...if I knew...you were happy.'  
'You can't die!' I shout. 'Please, you can't die! Bruder, stay with me!'  
I grip his hand tighter and he coughs again, blood spraying his shirt front.  
'Don't...don't worry...about me...Vest,' he chokes, grinning at me. 'Just...stay...safe...little Bruder...'  
His body gives one last jerk, and he falls still.  
'Nein!' I seize his shoulders and shake him, staring wildly into his blank, lifeless eyes. 'Bruder! You can't be dead! _Bruder_!'  
I clutch him to me, cradling his head, sobbing uncontrollably into his shoulder. 'Bruder, Bruder, Bruder,' I say over and over again, not noticing the rain and the blood that is drenching my uniform; not noticing the shouts of people high above me.  
Something thuds into my chest and I look down, beyond caring what it is or why it hit me, to see a red rose of blood blossoming across my chest.  
Another bullet slams into my back, and I fall forwards into the mud. Mein Bruder's body is still in my arms, and I hold on tight to him, letting my eyes drift shut to block out the sight of my own blood smeared across the ground.  
A third bullet rips through the muscle of my shoulder and I open my eyes again.  
I have to see him one last time.  
I move awkwardly, twisting my body so my neck is bent downwards. He is lying against me, the ghost of a grin still evident on his face, his red eyes open and staring straight into mine.  
I stretch out an arm and let it fall on to his cheek. Still warm.  
'Bruder,' I croak. 'Wait for me, Bruder.'  
An inky blackness is seeping across my vision, and I can feel my lifeblood draining out of my body.  
'Wait for me,' I repeat, my voice barely audible.  
Someone laughs - a harsh, familiar laugh. 'I'm waiting, Bruder.'  
I close my eyes and let a smile drift across my face.  
I will be with him soon.

**Sorry it's so depressing - I just couldn't get the idea of a story about the Berlin Wall out of my head ever since I visited Berlin a few months ago! Please review; I would love to hear your feedback.**


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